Words by Tish Newton

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No Time for Colorism!

I’ve always acknowledge it but never thought it was worth a hill of beans because most of the stats seem like it only works for criminals. (Lighter skinned felons get lighter sentences)

I met guys who were color struck and they got IMMEDIATELY rejected. Coming at me acting like my skin color is a compliment is the highest level of bamma to me.

Here’s where the lightbulb moment came in….

Colorism is an annoyance to me on a personal level. Back when I was on the dating scene, it was something I could just reject and keep it pushing. I can look at a dude like he’s ignorant not worth my time. Kim made me look at the other side of it. Color struck dudes hurt women in a very real way. I know what it’s like to internalize rejection and have it hurt your self esteem but this is something completely different. I can’t even fully wrap my mind around it. I look at Christopher Wallace, who was very unattractive, and how his choices made Kim do that to her face. The saddest part is it started with her own father. I don’t understand it fully but I do know it’s much bigger than her.

We have had counterproductive conversations about colorism that turn into drag light skinned women fests versus turning the mirror on those who perpetuate it more than anyone….DUDES! Saying things like “you’re cute for a dark skinned girl” or “I don’t normally date Black women” (when you’re Black) does so much harm. It doesn’t always manifest in extreme plastic surgery but it does cement global anti-Blackness. It’s time to have a new discussion about colorism and call to the carpet the ones who use their words as daggers. We should make them dig deep and realize why they accept Eurocentric beauty standards over what looks more like them. Now, I’m not pretending like there aren’t women who are this BS and I promise to do another blog about that. Let’s not clown or shame Kimberly Jones about her apparent body dysmorphic disorder and attack the root.